scholarly journals The Role of Cultural Factors in Sustainable Food Consumption—An Investigation of the Consumption Habits among International Students in Hungary

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolett Nemeth ◽  
Ildiko Rudnak ◽  
Prespa Ymeri ◽  
Csaba Fogarassy
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Cultural Factors

Food consumption plays a pivotal role in the economy and the health of individuals. Foods and meals, in addition to sustaining life, also have many functions in society, such as human bonding. The purpose of our study is to present a qualitative research method to show the role of food consumption in the culture of several ethnic groups, and to introduce the ways in which cultural factors influence eating habits and local food supply conditions. In the first part of the research, the sample was a mix of multiple nationalities. During our investigations, the main questions were: What do you think about the culture and value food consumption? What kind of food do you consume the most? What differences do you find in the habits of different ethnic groups, especially regarding their eating habits? In the second part, we asked the main actors of the local supply system (restaurants, buffets, shops) about the ways they track the demand of foreign students. Our results have been implemented into two different SWOT matrixes. We can conclude that such research on food consumption attitudes and community behavior is essential. Most of the interviewed students are interested in comparing their diet and cultural traditions to those of other nations’, and prefer local foods. The study proved that eating habits in Hungary have an impact on the eating habits of international students, and they changed them from several perspectives. The study found that dietary choices are complex decisions that have a significant environmental and social impact, but we need to add that thanks to the strong cultural background, the students can keep their sustainable eating and community values abroad, which can also strongly influence the development of the local food supply practices.

scholarly journals Food Consumption Behavior of Pakistani Students Living in China: The Role of Food Safety and Health Consciousness in the Wake of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Khayyam ◽  
Shuai Chuanmin ◽  
Haroon Qasim ◽  
Muhammad Ihtisham ◽  
Raheel Anjum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Behavioral Intention ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Health Consciousness ◽  
Safety And Health

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has considerably changed global food production, processing, and consumption at different levels. Sojourners are among those who have experienced a higher level of food insecurity during the crisis of the COVID-19 outbreak. The current research aimed to investigate the immediate consumption behavioral intentions of the Pakistani international students in the People's Republic of China (PRC) during the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. This study applied the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and background factors of food safety and health consciousness that influence the consumption behavioral intention of Pakistani students toward unfamiliar local food in China. A relational model was analyzed where food safety and health consciousness were hypothesized to serve as background variables associated with TPB components. Moreover, the indirect effects of food safety and health consciousness on behavioral intentions were assessed. The data were collected through convenience samples from 462 Pakistani international students and were analyzed through partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results confirmed that food safety and health consciousness were positively associated with attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC). However, food safety and health consciousness were indirectly associated with the behavioral intention only through ATT and SN. The results highlighted the role of food safety and health consciousness as important antecedents of classical TPB components that affect intentions and behaviors to avoid unfamiliar local food in a migrated context. The present study provides enlightenment to those who aim to investigate the consumption behavioral intentions of sojourners in the wake of the pandemic situation based on food safety and health consciousness. The findings of the current study are also applicable to general consumption patterns in the food sector.

scholarly journals Cultural differences in food consumption: The experiences of international students

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-63
Author(s):  
Nikolett Németh
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Students ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Local Foods ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
Multicultural Management ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Complex Decision

There is a great variety of foods eaten. It is obvious that foods play a very important role in the daily lives of individual nations. Foods and meals, however, serve not only the living, but also fulfil other functions in the given society. For example, food expression may be part of a social class, reveal income conditions, and express identity.   The investigation was carried out on the topic by a qualitative method, in the form of an in-depth interview. The interviews were conducted by master students of the Szent István University in the framework of Multicultural Management subject, with non-Hungarian origin. A total of 65 in-depth interviews were conducted between 2017 and 2018.  Interviewees were members of 22 nationalities. During the investigations, the main questions were: What type of food do you consume the most? What factors do you take into consideration when choosing foods? What differences do you find in the habits of the different ethnic groups, especially with regard to their eating habits?  Most of the interviewees are interested in compare their diet and cultural traditions to other nations’ and prefer local foods. The study proved that eating habits in Hungary have an impact on the eating habits of foreign students, and they change them in several elements. The study found that dietary choices are a complex decision that has a significant environmental and social impact but need to say, thanks to the strong cultural background the students can keep their sustainable eating values in abroad.    Keywords: culture, food choice, consumption 

Local food and changes in tourist eating habits in a sun-and-sea destination: a segmentation approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3501-3521 ◽  
Author(s):  
José António C. Santos ◽  
Margarida Custódio Santos ◽  
Luis Nobre Pereira ◽  
Greg Richards ◽  
Luis Caiado
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourism Experience

Purpose Little is known about how tourists’ eating habits change between everyday life and holidays. This study aims to identify market segments based on changes in food consumption and experiences of a sun-and-sea destination’s local food. The authors evaluate to what extent tourists consume local food and assess the contribution of local food experiences to the tourists’ overall experience. Design/methodology/approach The target population was all tourists visiting the Algarve in the Summer 2018 and included both domestic and international sun-and-sea tourists. A sample of 378 valid questionnaires was collected. Data analysis included descriptive analysis, statistical tests and cluster analysis. Findings Cluster analysis identified three segments: non-foodies, selective foodies and local gastronomy foodies. Results indicate that tourists change their eating habits during holidays, eating significantly more seafood and fish and less legumes, meat, fast food and cereals and their derivatives. International and domestic sun-and-sea tourists reported that eating local food contributes significantly to their overall tourism experience. Practical implications Sun-and-sea destinations should promote the offer of local dishes, especially those that include locally produced fish and seafood, to improve the tourist experience, differentiate the destination and increase sustainability. Originality/value The authors address three identified research gaps: a posteriori segmentation based on tourists’ food consumption behaviour; measurement of changes in eating practices between home and in a sun-and-sea destination; and assessment of the role of food experiences to overall tourism experience of tourists visiting a sun-and-sea destination.

Sensemaking Through Metaphors: The Role of Imaginative Metaphor Elicitation in Constructing New Understandings

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692110195
Author(s):  
Luciara Nardon ◽  
Amrita Hari
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Difficult Situation ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Rich Data ◽  
Depth Interviews

Drawing on in-depth interviews with exchange and international students during the COVID-19 pandemic, we elaborate on the role of Imaginative Metaphor Elicitation (IME) to generate knowledge about participants’ experiences while helping them make sense of and cope with a difficult situation. Imaginative metaphors allow participants to explore feelings, assumptions, and behaviors in non-threatening ways and facilitate introspection and self-awareness. We propose that imaginative metaphors help participants make their experience tangible and accessible, identify problematic assumptions, behaviors, as well as resources available to them. Some reported gaining a renewed sense of empowerment. Simultaneously, IME provides an opportunity to collect rich data while co-creating solutions for and with participants. We contribute to calls for embedding social impact in the research design by highlighting the value of IME in gaining deeper access to participants’ experiences while supporting them in taking an active role in their situations.

scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Factors That Influence Adjustment Process of International Students in Malaysian Public Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 17-25
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Research Survey

International students’ enrolment in higher education in Malaysia has expanded widely in scope, volume, and complexity, giving rise to a myriad of challenges and difficulties in their adjustment process, which have to be understood and addressed. In this study, the cross-cultural factors that influence psychological, sociocultural, and self-realization adjustments amongst international students studying in Malaysian public universities were examined. The purpose of this research was to gauge a better understanding of the difficulties and challenges encountered by them when pursuing higher education opportunities in Malaysian public universities, and how they had managed to overcome the necessary adjustments. A research survey based on 31item questionnaires was formulated. Stratified random sampling methodology was adopted in the distribution of 250 questionnaires, with a total of 218 responses received. Data were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences’ software. The variables, socio-cultural adjustment, and self-realization adjustment showed negative correlations towards their adjustment process. The outcomes should enable university faculties and staff to recognize foreign students’ needs, and effectively offer supportive campus resources and services to assist them in their adjustment process.

Searching memories of pleasures in local cuisine: how nostalgia and hedonic values affect tourists' behavior at hot spring destinations?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Chang ◽  
Sean Hsin-Hung Lin ◽  
Li-Sheng Wu
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Hot Springs ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Hot Spring ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Hedonic Experience

PurposeHistorically, hot springs have been regarded as hedonic and foodie destinations, yet the antecedents that affect tourists' intentions for local cuisine in hot springs remain unexplored. The present study aims to address this knowledge gap by considering the role of nostalgia and hedonic values in tourist food consumption.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 315 domestic tourists by intercept surveys conducted in the Beitou Hot Spring, Taiwan. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping were used to test the hypotheses as well as mediating effects.FindingsNostalgia positively influences hedonic values, which affect tourists' intentions for local food consumption. Unexpectedly, nostalgia does not directly influence tourists' preferences due to complete mediation through hedonic values.Research limitations/implicationsGiven a growing number of young consumers visiting hot springs, hedonic experience is essential and more effective for pulling visitors and stimulating local food consumption than nostalgia vibes are. Cross-cultural samples and qualitative research are suggested for future studies.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates different levels of nostalgia in different ages. It highlights the mediating role of hedonic values between nostalgia and tourists' intentions for local cuisine in the hot spring destinations, which has been overlooked in previous studies. Originality is also established by simultaneously investigating hedonic values and behavioral intentions within the context of food tourism.

International Student Migration: Regional Aspect

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-121
Author(s):  
A. Vartanyan
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Students ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Student Migration ◽  
The World

The article provides a profound analysis of the main trends of international student migration for tertiary education, discusses the key factors influencing the choice of destination for studying abroad, and reveals the regional peculiarities of instruments for student migration regulation. The first part of the paper highlights the official statistics showing that in recent decades the world witnessed the steady increase in the number of international students, concentrating mainly in the USA and the European Union. Almost 48% of all international students in the world study in the European Union. This region also shows the highest internal student mobility. Among others, such countries as Austria, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand demonstrate the biggest shares of foreign students in the total number of university students. As for donor countries, the dynamics proves the major role of the Asia region, with a half of all international students originated from it. The largest number of foreign students come from China, India and South Korea. Nonetheless, the Asia region becomes a popular destination of student mobility nowadays. The second part of the article concerns different coordination policies of tertiary migration in the regional context. Mostly in developed countries, practices of attracting foreign students to study in professional programs and degree programs with a perspective to enter a national labor market after graduation become more and more popular. Postgraduate migration remains a priority. Most countries encourage job-searching for foreign graduate students, as they are considered to have a high-skill level, international views and an opportunity to live and work in a variety of socio-cultural conditions. Further analysis refers to the main factors determining the choice of destination for foreign students, which are: geographical proximity, language skills, cultural proximity, the cost of education, and a country's reputation in the field of higher education. The paper reveals the leading role of the EU in the developed intraregional educational mobility, the regional asymmetry of migration processes in other regions of the world, and Asian countries actively promoting temporary educational and labor migration to developed countries with incentives to return to a home-country in the future. In recent years, due to positive dynamics of the return migrants number, an interest in the creation of the returnees strategy grows as well as desire of developed and developing countries to benefit most from the return migration.

Local food consumption values and attitude formation: the moderating effect of food neophilia and neophobia

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalil Hussain ◽  
Amir Zaib Abbasi ◽  
S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh ◽  
Carsten D. Schultz ◽  
Ding Hooi Ting ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Food Neophobia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumption Values ◽  
Food Tourism

PurposeThe local food tourism in Pakistan is increasing rapidly, and it attracts scholars to determine the factors affecting local food tourists' buying choices. Particularly, the authors aim to investigate the role of food consumption values on predicting domestic tourists' attitude toward local food and its effect on the intention to try local food with the moderating effect of personality traits (neophobia and neophilia).Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the study model on 250 completed responses from local food tourists. They collected the data from three tourism locations (Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar) in Pakistan. Their study utilizes the consumption value theory within the limits of Pakistan's local food tourism.FindingsThe empirical findings show that consumption values, such as price, emotion, interaction, epistemic value, location value and variety value, effectively explain the domestic tourists' attitude toward local food. The authors further report that food neophilia strengthens the local tourists' positive reception toward the local food. However, food neophobia weakens the direction between local tourists' attitude toward local food and the intention to try local food.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights pertaining to tourists' local food consumption values (LFCVs) to a local destination owner and marketing manager to strategically work on LFCVs that are crucial for domestic tourists to derive their intention to try local food. Practitioners should work on domestic tourists who possess food neophobia trait and enquire them for their rejection or avoidance of a particular local destination. This will enable practitioners to bring innovation and development in the local destination, which ultimately promote local food tourism.Originality/valueThis study is the first to incorporate the variety and local value in tourists' LFCVs to predict local tourists' attitude toward local food. Additionally, the authors contribute to local food tourism by empirically studying the moderating role of personality traits (food neophilia and food neophobia) to examine the direction between local tourists' attitude and intention to local food.

scholarly journals Professional Language Training of International Students in the Multicultural Environment of University for International Relations

2014 ◽  
pp. 317-323
Author(s):  
T. Glebova
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Language Training ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Multicultural Environment

The article addresses the specific features of professional language training of international students in the multicultural environment of a Russian university teaching students of international relations. After a brief historical survey of teaching foreign students in the universities of Russia, the writer considers the factors that influence the choice of universities graduating specialists in international relations by foreign students. The author goes on to analyze the specifics of linguisticand socio-cultural environment in Russian universities and its impact on international students stressing the fact that the educational environment at MGIMO-University is multilingual and multicultural. That explains the relevance of studying the quality of professional language training of foreign students in the sphere of international relations. The language of teaching in most universities of the Russian Federation is Russian, besides, all MGIMO students are obliged to learn English either as their first or second foreign language, that is why international students have to study in a tri-lingual environment and the interfering influence of several cultures. The writer points out that under such circumstances it is necessary for future IR specialists to build a number of professionally relevant competences: linguistic, socio-cultural, communicative, and suggests educational technologies that have proved to be effective in building them: case-study, role-plays, etc. The article gives special attention to the place and role of translation in teaching English as translation is a system of encoding within the system of two language systems. Translating phrases from Russian into English the student does 'inner', mental translation using the mother tongue. That makes the author suggest using the students'mother tongues in the teaching process. While learning foreign languages, international students should, along with language material, study the system of values of a different country thus preparing themselves for cross-cultural communication in the professional international community.

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